Dear members,
We are delighted to reveal we have surpassed our target of 80,000 members so far this season.
Currently, you have supported us with a staggering 80,302 members signed up. We are not far away from our all-time record of 81,211, which was set back in 2019, pre-COVID.
Our beloved supporters continue to show they bleed brown and gold, and for that, I say thank you for your valuable support.
This is a special milestone for our storied club, and something to be proud of. Membership numbers had been building in previous years, but like most things during the pandemic, they took a hit.
After cracking the 80,000 barrier in 2018, our previous membership high was in 2019 (81,211). We saw a small downturn during a COVID-ravaged season in 2020 (76,343), before a slight uptick last year (77,079).
Official AFL membership numbers close on August 31, and with so much momentum around our Round 1 AFLW clash this weekend, we encourage you to all get on board with an AFLW membership as an addition to your current membership.
I urge all Hawk fans to join us on this journey and sign up to become an inaugural AFLW member – our $50 option provides great value, giving you entry to every game. To see the packages on offer and sign up, click here.
We look forward to seeing these numbers continue to grow in the years to come, as we welcome more members to the Hawthorn family. All members play an important role in helping us succeed as a club, and we are incredibly grateful for the support.
As we draw the men’s 2022 season to a close, our women are now just days away from making history as they take flight on their inaugural AFLW campaign this Saturday night.
It is a significant day for our club and is the result of a lot of work from many people. Our women are locked and loaded for this blockbuster clash and will be led by our brilliant Senior Coach Bec Goddard and Captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd.
People power has spoken, and in a no-brainer of a decision, the opening-round fixture against old foes Essendon has been moved to Marvel Stadium. This shapes as a fantastic opportunity for our members and supporters to fill the stands with brown and gold to help get our girls over the line. Our women deserve to play in our elite stadiums, and I hope this trend continues.
Our AFLW membership numbers are steadily rising, and we have now set our sights on signing up 7,000 members. This would be a tremendous outcome for our first AFLW season, and I have no doubt our loyal fans will vote with their feet.
Briefly on our men’s program - I’m sure many of you, like me, have been pleased to see the progress of our young and exciting list this season. In his first year as senior coach, Sam Mitchell has begun to lay the foundations for our future success, developing an attacking and electrifying brand of football that will continue to develop in the years to come.
We also salute our retiring captain Ben McEvoy, who has been an incredible servant of the Hawthorn Football Club. Ben leaves the game as a dual premiership Hawk, having played in two of our three-peat Grand Final wins in 2014 and 2015. More recently, Ben has provided invaluable leadership for our young group, and we wish him and his family well with the next chapter in their lives.
Looking ahead, we are now counting down to one of the biggest and most celebrated nights on Hawthorn’s calendar, as we celebrate the 2022 Peter Crimmins Medal. This is always a fantastic occasion as we reflect on the year that has been, recognise special achievements, and witness the famous vote count to crown our best and fairest player of the season. This year’s event is taking place Saturday 1 October at the Crown Palladium Ballroom - you can secure your ticket here.
I cannot wait to see our women do the Hawthorn guernsey proud in their first AFLW season, and I’m sure our members and fans will show their support across the campaign ahead.
See you at the footy.
Go Hawks!
Justin Reeves
Chief Executive Officer
Hawthorn Football Club
